In The End
by The Last
Summary: The end has come. Raven sleeps in the midst of her ruined world as Trigon wrecks havoc in the galaxy. The Titans have lost for the first, and last, time. But hope springs eternal... right?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Titans. Sadly. Neither does anyone else on this site, actually...

'Ello, everyone. Sorry I haven't posted lately- life had caught up with me ((once again)) and I have 'Thought Syndrome'. Where you think up all these great ideas, getting scenes and plots down in your mind... but being utterly unable to actually write them. It sucks.Chapter two will be up- sometime. I have to figure out what will happen first.

PS: See if you can find the Jane Eyrie quote reference.

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**In The End: **Chapter I 

**:T:**

In the galaxy, there was once a world. Once. Now there are only the burning flames that will eternally consume it, and a powerful, unstoppable evil that was unleashed; on that all can not flee from. One none can stop.

Trigon's domain extends farther each day as the demon from Hell inflicts his wrath on the worlds closest to Earth. Aliens run, trying to escape the vicious grasp, but are seized before they make it. Entire races have disappeared, their worlds bursting apart or eaten away by those under his control. However, Trigon remains on the planet Earth.

In order to stay in the physical world he must keep his portal alive a little longer. No one knows of this weakness but him, for in only a few short days he will be strong enough to kill her. But for now, as his power grows, he keeps her in the place where she fell to his power and will.

Jump City no longer exists. In it's place is the god forsaken sight that is repeated across the world; rivers of lava tumble relentlessly into the acidic sea as they pass by the rubble of once proud buildings. It had been the first casualty in the hopeless war against Trigon. Or, perhaps, the second causality…

Raven stirred, turning her head from side to side. She lay limply on a slab of stone, the deep black of her mind undisturbed by the gruesome scene around her. But quietly, unnoticed by Trigon, soft thoughts slipped into her forced slumber.

_Raven…_

_Raven…_

_Raven, wake up…_

_Raven, you must wake up…_

_Snap out of it, Rae…_

_Raven, wake up, we need you to…_

Trigon turned his attention to her, quelled her stirring, held her unconscious spirit and thrust her down to darker depths of sleep. Around the mockery of an altar, the four statues of her teammates were frozen alive in their stone tombs, to watch their world crumble around them… and die along with her.

Deep within the earth, directly below the sleeping portal, a hair fine crack ran through the statue of a girl called Terra.

**:T:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Teen Titans.

Well! Hasn't it been a while? Anyway, this is Chapter Two. Thanks to all who review the first!

Scene at the end donated by animeobsessed3191!** Thank you!**

**In The End: **Chapter Two

Terra opened her eyes, looking out into the pitch blackness of the cavern. Her mind stalled, letting her drop to her knees on the rock littered ground. Taking a breath, she looked at her hands and rose.

She was free.

The ground rumbled and she lifted her head, looking towards the tunnel. The fading sounds of her running footsteps echoed in the hollow cave.

Sliding to a stop just outside the tunnel, Terra stared at the boiling landscape as the Earth moaned in agony from the torment inflicted on it. Lava flowed around her feet as the once-frozen Titan tried to grasp what had happened to her world. Blue eyes scanned the clouded horizon and found nothing- not even the smoking remnants of Jump City- flat, tortured horizons covered the world around her. Desperation lent strength to her eyes, and in the distance _something_ became visible. It was the only thing her dazed mind could focus on, and her feet took her there without a second thought.

Statues. There were four statues, Terra realized as she slowed to a walk, looking at the first with wide eyed horror.

Someone had carved a statue of Starfire, one of her hands raised not for a starbolt, but outwards, extended as if to reach out and help someone hold onto life with that immeasurable strength. It was so realistic…

Shaking her head slightly, the sapphire eyes found the other one beside her: this one of Robin, an understanding look on his face, as though he had seen the darkest truth in someone else and chosen to acknowledge it, rather than turn away. One of his hands was lifted slightly too.

Next, unbidden, she shivered as she saw Cyborg. There was a matter of fact look on his face; one that said, 'Hey, you've fallen down, now get back up. C'mon.' His hand too was stretching out…

A cold feeling trickling down her back as Terra wrenched her gaze away from the robot and turned towards the fourth. She had been frozen in stone loving him, but somehow, in that time between then and now, the telekinetic girl had realized they both had to move on. Without looking, she somehow knew it would be Beast Boy- and it was.

He had a feral look on his face; had she not known the gentle side of him, Terra might have been scared. Like he was scoffing at someone else's weakness and was about to tell them, with a sneer, that they knew _nothing_ of true pain. But… somehow… one of his hands was offered too…

That left… Raven. Still reeling from the strangeness of it all, she looked at the stone altar the four statues surrounded.

If it had been a sunny day and the gothic teenager had had makeup on, Terra would have said Raven didn't look any different. But here, in this Hellish place, the dark marks under her eyes were clearly defined, the lines on her brow from worry seemed etched in, and Terra could only stand there for a moment and watch the Titan stir, shake her head and toss, then subside back into whatever kind of sleep she was in.

Then it broke through. That the statues weren't just statues- _they were her friends._ And somehow, Raven alone had survived. A gut feeling told her it was Raven's fault- and she was 100 correct.

The stone altar cracked as a gloved fist slammed it, inches from Raven's head. There was a second in which Terra's heavy breathing filled the night-day before violet eyes snapped open and the half demoness tumbled over the edge, a flurry of black, blue and purple.

"Wha- what happened?" Raven whispered, but something in her tortured eyes told the other girl that Raven already knew. "Terra?" And then her eyes caught the statues. _Then_ there was real, unfeigned concern. "Oh God… Oh no…"

"How could you do this, Raven? How could you?" Terra's voice broke, rage vanishing as she surveyed the destroyed landscape.

"It wasn't my fault! This wasn't supposed to happen. This was never supposed to come about. Terra, you've got to believe me!" Raven pleaded, as Terra's hands glowed a familiar yellow and the anger returned.

"You're as much of a traitor as me!"

The words slapped Raven, and she stared disbelievingly at Terra. Rocks were raised above her head, though it looked like Terra was holding back. Raven took that opportunity.

_"What if I told you about my past? Would you believe me then?"_ The blonde hesitated and Raven pushed herself up off the jagged stone floor, ignoring the blood running down her slender legs to lean on the broken altar as her ragged voice told Terra of a nightmare; of a fate worse than even she had guessed at…


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I Do Not Pwnth Teen Titans.

And Chapter Three rolls around... Thanks to Moon Goddess of the Sun, animeobsessed3191, and ravenslair who reviewed the last chapter!

**:T:**

**In The End: **Chapter Three

**:T:**

"We have… to wake them up. But I don't know how to. I don't even know how you woke up." Terra watched the pain on Raven's face and felt ashamed of her anger, even though Raven had told her that she welcomed it. _"It means that someone else has survived my Father." _

"Raven… look at them." And the violet eyed girl did just that, lifting her eyes to each of the four around her. "They have their hands out, Raven, not to condemn, but to _help_. You're lucky."

Raven looked sharply at Terra and started to open her mouth, to speak the bitter words she had harbored over Terra's imprisonment.

"I don't blame you. Let's… let's just see if I can help them." Terra moved to Starfire, taking a deep breath and placing a hand on the alien's shoulder. Raven's trembling fingers brushed the stone skin and she flinched. She watched impassively as the once mysterious girl looked away, shuddering as her eyes closed to protest against what she had done. Terra wouldn't help Raven- Raven needed to help herself.

After a second, Raven stood up again and placed a hand in Starfire's stone one, meeting the unseeing eyes squarely. Knowing that the other girl was ready, Terra concentrated and felt her hands warm with the power of healing- for the Earth not only destroyed, but created.

_Crack._ A web of lines appeared across the statue and Raven placed her free hand against Starfire's other shoulder, black glow surrounding all the chips and pulling them away.

Bright green eyes blinked slowly and red hair shimmered in the light of the lightening. Starfire took a breath and blinked again, then nearly crushed Raven's hand as she enveloped the shorter Titan in one of her trademark hugs; only this time there were tears flowing down her face.

"Raven, you have done it!" Terra started to step away, unsure of whether she should be there or not, and the red head saw the motion. "Terra? Terra!" She was promptly hugged by Starfire too.

"Star- can't- breathe-" The alien released both of them, smiling like she was about to die of happiness.

"Oh, it is so good to be awake again, and to have Terra here too!" Then a sober look came onto her features as she glanced around. "And we must wake the others." Terra and Raven could only agree.

**:T:**

Robin snapped alert, frowning slightly as dust fell off him. Then the Boy Wonder glanced up, seeing the three girls in front of him.

"So you made it, Raven." The demonic teenager's gaze fell away, towards Terra.

"… not without help…" And her team leader nodded as he met Terra's uncertain eyes.

"It's good to see you again. We tried everything…" The simple words ghosted away as Terra shook her head slightly.

"It's okay."

**:T:**

A whirr of machinery as Raven dug her fingers into the thick stone, black aura enveloping her teammates. Finally her nails carved out the grooves of sediment and blue lights winked into existence. With stiffness Cyborg straightened, only his red eye open. Everyone held their breath and then let it out as he opened it, registering their faces.

"And I thought ten hours was a long nap. Terra?" The blonde offered him a lopsided grin and he nodded slightly.

"Raven, you owe me a new car." She winced, even with his joking tone, until his metallic hand clapped down on her shoulder.

"Don't sweat it, girl."

**:T:**

Even before he was completely free, Beast Boy's low snarl made it's way out. Raven flinched at the rough sound, but carefully pulled every piece of stone out and then hesitated as his lungs heaved. The feral eyes glinted red and then focused on her. Instantly the primal side melted away and he sighed.

"Had me worried there, Rae." An ear pricked. "Terra!" But when his eyes met hers, there was only hope and friendship offered in them.

"Haven't seen you in a while buddy." He almost smiled, and then opened his mouth to speak. She lifted a gloved finger to them. "It's all right- I understand. I wasn't completely unconscious in that rock."

"So, Terra, up to maybe helping us?" Robin asked. She shrugged, smiling.

"Why not? So… what now?" Simultaneously they looked at Raven. The teen closed her eyes, taking a breath as she replied.

"I take down my Father."

"What about us?" Was the instant response. Uncertain and surprised she looked at them.

"This… is my fault."

"But we're your friends, Raven." Even as her eyes widened, she pulled her hood up and caught her breath.

"… thank you…" The other five could have sworn they saw a tear.

**:T:**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Teen Titans.

**Author's Note:** Whee. So in this chapter, we deal with the whole... Terra fitting in thing. Thanks to animeobsessed3191, Moon Goddess of the Sun, Egglette, and FallenRose2517 who reviewed last chapter!

**:T:**

**In The End: **Chapter Four

**:T:**

North. North to what used to be the North Pole. North to a land of fire and brimstone, Hell literally come upon this Earth.

North, to where Raven knew her Father collected his strength.

Terra trudged along with them, pushing back the worst of the lava as Beast Boy flew, scouting ahead. When the green/black wings dipped and turned, wheeling towards them, Starfire lifted and took his place.

Not that there was anything other than destruction to look at.

With every step, the tug on her soul became stronger, harder to resist. The friction between the group members increased too; Terra did not fit in the new bonds formed after her betrayal. They were a circle, surrounding the warm fire of friendship. She stood outside of it, cold, hungering to come back in, but they could not find it in their hearts to break that circle for one who might hurt them- _again_.

Despite their best intentions, they could only forgive her on the surface. Underneath, emotions churned and roiled frantically as limbs grew tired.

She stumbled, desperately forming a black oval to shield her flesh from the heated stone. Before anyone could offer their help, the violet haired teen rose, pushing herself onwards as internally she pulled back on her soul.

"Can we stop yet? I'm tired." The exhaustion in Beast Boy's voice told them that this wasn't his normal form of communication (whining) but rather a serious question. Cyborg stopped, as did Robin. Terra concentrated and gestured with her hands; cool stone rose to form temporary seats for the weary travelers. Starfire swooped back down and landed next to Robin, who steadied her.

"Neat little trick." Cyborg commented as he sat, joints squeaking in the searing heat. With a slight frown Terra copied him, not responding.

"How much longer, friend Raven?" The alien tied her hair back, fanning a hand slightly. Raven shook her head.

"I have no idea." The other five paused as the rough words sank in.

"What do you mean, 'I don't know'? You're the one leading this entire thing!" Terra snapped.

"I told you all to stay behind! I wanted to go alone!" The sorceress rose to her feet, fists clenched.

"Well I'm sure in the 'moment' you didn't pause to tell us where we were going, did you?" Louder voices as Cyborg and Robin stood, starting to speak as they were cut off by the words.

"I had no idea!" Raven snarled, leaning forwards towards Terra. "But then again, I suppose you couldn't have just stayed back in that statue of yours, could you?"

"Ladies!" Robin stepped in between them, arms out. Once they backed off, he turned towards the blonde. "Terra, if you want to leave, you can." The blue eyed girl looked surprised by his cool words; she turned away as amber hair fell to cover her face. A tense moment later, she shook her head.

The lines had been drawn; whether they could ever be crossed again was something no one there was sure of.

**:T:**


End file.
